Grapevine: Nov. 22, 2024: Thanks for the memory

ACUM, the Hebrew acronym for the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel is a non-profit organization that protects the rights of authors, poets, lyricists , composers, arrangers and music publishers. It also hosts an annual awards ceremony in which prizes are given to authors and musicians in a variety of categories and genres. Most of the prizes are named in memory of deceased icons such as Naomi Shemer, Yossi Banai, Ehud Manor, Sasha Argov, Uzi Hitman, Moshe Wilenski, Inbal Perlmutter and Yair Rosenblum, among others. This not only reminds the Israeli public of people who gave them so much pleasure over the years, but links today’s cultural icons with those of yesteryear, thereby forming an ongoing chain.

In addition to the memorial prizes, the ACUM directorate awards special life achievement prizes of its own. This year’s recipients are singer, songwriter, composer and actor Danny Litani in recognition of his contributions to music and culture; and to the Ariel family for maintaining the legacy of singer, songwriter and guitarist Meir Ariel, who died in July, 1999, and who was known for the poetic beauty of his lyrics. The award ceremony will take place this coming Sunday, November 24, at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.

An icon to remember

■ ON THE subject of deceased icons, the anniversary of the passing of Israel’s fifth president Yitzhak Navon is today, Friday, and a memorial ceremony will be held this morning at his graveside on Mount Herzl. In addition to being the first sabra (native) president of the state, and an education minister, Navon was also an author and playwright. His musical Bustan Sephardi (In a Spanish Orchard), which is a vignette about the Sephardi neighborhood of Jerusalem in whose midst he was born and raised, remains popular and is frequently revived.

November seems to figure prominently in Israel’s presidential history. Chaim Weizmann, the country’s first president, was born and died in November. Yitzhak Ben Zvi, the second president, was also born in November, as was his successor Zalman Shazar. Navon died at the age of 94 in November, 2015.

A learning experience

■ IN THE global communications environment in which we live, many of us are on multinational mailing lists of individuals we’ve never met or count among our social media friends; and organizations and institutions whose politics and policies are not necessarily in sync with our own. This can be an interesting albeit sometimes distasteful learning experience.

It can also be a frustrating experience. For instance, an email came this week from an organization in the US offering free views of The Bibi Files which cannot be legally screened in Israel. Regardless of where any Israeli stands politically, the documentary arouses curiosity. More so to anyone who read an interview in Ha’aretz earlier in the week with the film’s director, Alexis Bloom.

When asked if anything in the material she has acquired has surprised her, she replied that she was shocked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ability to lie, blur and inflame even when not being directly mendacious, and his unlimited ability to cloud any issue in smokescreens.

The film, in which one of the producers is Netanyahu’s nemesis, investigative television reporter Raviv Drucker, also contains footage of Netanyahu’s wife Sara and older son Yair, highlighting their disrespect and contempt for police investigators.

Presented as a work in progress at the Toronto Film Festival in September, and subsequently screened elsewhere, it was acquired for distribution at the end of October, and has been distributed in several countries. Its world premiere took place in New York last week.

A free online screening of The Bibi Files by United States direct-to-viewer company Jolt will be available on December 11.

Meanwhile, another free screening hosted by UnXeptable and including a Q&A with the filmmakers began screening on Wednesday, November 20, and will remain available through the 22nd.

Given the number of Israeli expats in America, this documentary will probably attract a windfall of viewers.Even though screening is illegal in Israel, there is little doubt that resourceful individuals who frequently commute between Israel and the US, will find a way to smuggle the film into the country and show it at private screenings in people’s homes.

Working through difficult times

■ WITH MONEY becoming increasingly tight, many organizations, institutions and commercial enterprises are coming up with new initiatives to make life less difficult for senior citizens, Holocaust survivors, spouses of reservists, displaced families and individuals, and others to whom life has dealt a lemon.

This week, Latet (to give), an NGO combating poverty through various aid initiatives, signed an agreement for a new one with the Israeli branch of L’Oreal cosmetics, the global hair care, cosmetics and perfume company. The agreement was signed by Elie Sagiv, the CEO of L’Oreal Israel and Eran Weintraub, the CEO of Latet, which is one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country.

Called “Beauty on the Road,” the initiative will give free beauty treatments to women who have been displaced from their homes, Holocaust survivors, victims of violence, single mothers, women in economic distress and others who are facing difficult challenges, over the coming month. Volunteers from ten different organizations affiliated with Latet, together with L’Oreal Israel professionals, will set out from Or Akiva to provide the treatments free of charge to hundreds of women. The initiative derives from the knowledge that a beauty treatment of any kind usually helps to improve a woman’s morale.

“This is a very emotional exercise,” said Sagiv. “It reflects our obligation to improve the quality of life for women all over the country.” The initiative serves to augment three existing L’Oreal centers in which beauty treatments are provided on a voluntary basis.

Weintraub said that the partnership with L’Oreal serves as an example of the good that can be achieved when the business sector and the social welfare sector join forces.

Yad Sarah

■ YAD SARAH, Israel’s leading nongovernmental healthcare and social services organization, inaugurated its new state-of-the-art building in Ashdod during its annual International Board of Trustees Meeting leadership meeting. Health Minister Uriel Busso, was among the various dignitaries who attended the ceremony, along with Yad Sarah founder and former mayor of Jerusalem Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, CEO Moshe Cohen and board members.

Busso is one minister who came to office well prepared for his role. He is a volunteer paramedic with Magen David Adom, and continues to go out on call when attending to ministerial duties.

Yad Sarah’s new six-story facility will serve as a regional hub for southern Israel, offering a wide array of services, including a comprehensive rehabilitation center, the lending of advanced medical equipment, and specialized care programs. A fortified underground facility will service the area under the most threatening security conditions. As construction nears completion, the center is poised to begin operations.

At the inauguration ceremony, Yad Sarah International Board of Trustees Chairman Aaron G. Frenkel reflected on lessons learned from the past year of conflict. He praised the extraordinary nationwide mobilization and the organization’s ability to provide limitless support in response to growing community needs.

Former Ashkenazi chief rabbi and Member of Yad Sarah’s Board of Trustees, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, expressed his deep admiration for the substantial increase in continuous aid delivered by Yad Sarah’s various departments throughout the continuing year of war.

Lupolianski detailed the expansion of the organization’s nationwide network, now culminating in the establishment of a 12th Yad Sarah center. He highlighted the dedication of more than 7,000 volunteers across more than 120 branches, ensuring that every request for assistance is met with the most appropriate equipment. He also thanked Ashdod Mayor Yehiel Lasri, for his steadfast support in bringing this project to reality.

Legal Tech

■ NEW CONCEPTS and policies keep emerging at a rapid pace, making it increasingly difficult for people in executive positions to keep their fingers on the pulse of developments. Boardirector, a company that is part of the SQLink group, helps legal consultants of public companies keep pace with developments. Toward this aim, Boardirector recently hosted a meeting of such legal consultants to update them on the rules of Legal Tech.

The presentation was made by Boardirector CEO Nurit Kenner Yahav, aided by the company’s national legal consultant Inbal Ben Arzi, and marketing and development director attorney Yuval Katzav.

Thanksgiving

■ AACI, THE Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel, is taking a break over the Thanksgiving weekend and is heading for Eilat. In addition to the fun-filled days that are integral to an Eilat vacation, including jeeping and a boat ride on the Red Sea, participants will also have what promises to be an amazing Thanksgiving dinner and a meaningful Shabbat led by scholar in residence Rabbi Yehoshua Grunstein. The five day, four-night experience is an example of getting the best of both worlds.

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